Sound?

[Pekka]

It's a bit off topic, but as you guys have probably shot dozens of different car models on track: which has the best sound? :)

Also, a question which is more photography related: have you ever noticed that mere decibels from those machines "disturb" you shooting in any way? F1's for example give insanely loud noises even with ear protection.

[Jamie Holladay]

As for sound I like the sound of LMP1 & LMP2 cars in the LeMans series. I shot a SCCA race that included a GTA class (which are cars close to NASCAR) and the noise was not pleasant.

[smcclelland]

For me it's a broad mix.

1. Mercedes/Mclaren F1 car... the high pitch, the way it rattles your bones and the backfire of fuel as they downshift.

2. LMP1 Audi R10 TDI.. the sound of the whisper quiet engine and hearing the turbo hiss and the slow bleed of the pressure is just awesome.

3. "Gretta" a local race car which is a 2003 Volkswagen Jetta with a fully modded 1.8T engine including a GT35R turbo... the engine note is completely drowned out by the sound of the giant turbo and the blow-off valve pressure release is insane :)

As for the photography question... i grew up at Mosport as a kid when my uncle raced bikes so I hardly even notice the sound. I stood less than a foot from the tarmack at the Montreal GP as the cars entered the straight by the grandstands (if you could get your hands through the fence you could touch the cars) and the sound was unbelievable. You could just feel the engines shake your bones with as they downshifted and hairs raise on your neck as they tore off.

[Cadwell]

For single seat racers nothing really compares with the wail of a classic Ferrari V12 or a BRM V16 formula one engine. The modern stuff is anaemic, soulless, nonsense by comparison. The recent V10s and current V8s sound particularly poor.

Big banger V8s such as the CanAms (Mclaren M8, March 707) and and Formula 5000s (Lola T332 etc) always sound good and a full grid of them going by can make the ground shake.

On a smaller scale, the sound of a Lancia Stratos rally car wailing its way through a dark, miserable forest is something you're never likely to forget.

Some photographers wear ear-protection, I never do. The noise of the cars can be very loud but I prefer to be able to hear warning shouts and it isn't always the thing that's making most noise which is about to hit you. The higher pitched cars seem to cause me most discomfort. The earlier mentioned BRM V16 can reach an ear-ringing pitch as can some old 1 litre Formula 3 "screamers".

[FlyingPhotog]

All 43 cars at speed going into Turn 3 at Daytona or Talladega.
Not so much a sound as pure sensory overload!

First time I experienced it, it nearly put me straight down on my knees...

[Tessa]

I rarely shoot track racing so can't really comment on the best sounding track car, but there is one moment I'll never forget: watching the start of 1997 Hungarian GP from the balkony above pitlane and hearing all the cars screaming as the revs got higher. That was simply amazing... and very, very loud :D And no, I've never shot F1.

But in rallying one of my favourite sounding cars is (believe it or not) the old tiny Toyota Starlet. For some reason I just love that high pitched growl. Weird, huh?

As for do I find some car sounds disturbing while shooting? No, not really. It's when things go quiet I tend to worry.

[Lowner]

My vote goes to the demented howl of the v12's (Ferraris and the like) and over. Never understood the appeal of the American "Muscle Car" sound myself.

And No, I'm normally so engrossed in my shooting that I can honestly say I often don't notice it. Even when I do hear it, it's useful because it's warning me to get ready for another shot.

The only place I've ever been where my ears actually hurt was the start/finish straight at Donington earlier this year when I'd stopped shooting and was just watching the MotoGP race. The sound was bouncing off the pit garages opposite.

[GSH]

I could reel off a list of "best sounding" cars but i doubt i could actually pick one as the best of the best...

But when it comes to modern F1, the best sounding car is, without doubt....the Safety Car. :D

[Simon Harrison]

Best sounding cars?

A Metro 6R4 at full chat through a forest rally stage is very memorable, as is a proper BDA engine in a mk II Escort. After that an air cooled flat six sounds very nice, as does the flat 4 boxer engine.

Simon.

[photonick]

Best sounding cars?

A Metro 6R4 at full chat through a forest rally stage is very memorable, as is a proper BDA engine in a mk II Escort. After that an air cooled flat six sounds very nice, as does the flat 4 boxer engine.

Simon.

Add a Lancia Stratos in there Simon and I agree :D

[gdrMatt]

the sound of a Top Fuel Dragster or Funny car is about the best you'll ever hear... 8000+ horsepower... first you go -> :shock: then you go -> :grin:

[justincase724]

the sound of a Top Fuel Dragster or Funny car is about the best you'll ever hear... 8000+ horsepower... first you go -> :shock: then you go -> :grin:

I'm surprised it took 11 post to finally get this one out there. Yeah, it's really something else when you can't see straight and your whole body is rattling from the exhaust concusion, but yet you're standing at the very top of the grandstands. It's even better when you're in the pits 5 feet from the car and the hammer the throttle (to seat the clutch) and it nearly knocks your 270 pound uncle off his feet.

As far as ear protection, I personally thinks it's a must-have with the nitro cars. It's just so loud that if you went without ear protection for very long, there would definitely be some damage done.

Breathing protection is something else that is advisable with nitro cars. A lot of times in the pits, I'll put a gas mask on and get right up in front and shoot the crew working on the car. If you try to do that without any breathing protection, your eyes and nose will be so irritated that you won't be able to concentrate on shooting.

[cwphoto]

Ferrari F1 V12 3.5L through the Monaco tunnel or the hills of Spa, Mazda RX-7 Peripheral Ported Touring Car, any Alfa Romeo V6, Two-dozen V8 Supercars bellowing up Mountain Straight, or through Griffens Bend, or through Reid Park, (or anywhere on this fabulous circuit for that matter) at Mount Panorama, Ducati Desmocedici GP4 going up through the gears (like a bull-whip cracking) out of Siberia at Phillip Island, wheelspinning almost all the way to Lukey - faaaarrrrk.

These are some of my favourite things. :D

[Echo63]

the best sounding car i have heard recently would have to be the Aston martin Vantage at targawest
essentially a stock vantage, running in a tarmac rally, nice and quiet until the gates in the exhaust opened, then a beautiful v8 wail.

i also have fond memorys of seeing and hearing the lancia integrales of didier auriol and juha kankkunen and the celica of carlos sainz at rally australia when i was younger, the antilag system on those old cars sounded great as they went down through the gears.

Possum Bournes's Impreza always sounded louder and nicer than the factory team cars too

the one thing i will always remember about rally australia is the smell and noise of a WRC car idling a metre away with the breeze blowing the fumes back into the time control tent

[funhouse69]

the sound of a Top Fuel Dragster or Funny car is about the best you'll ever hear... 8000+ horsepower... first you go -> :shock: then you go -> :grin:

I agree with this 100% there is nothing in the world that I have experienced like a side by side launch of Top Fuel Funny Cars or Dragsters. Hearing protection is a must!!! I usually wear ear plugs for the "regular" cars then put a pair of Magnum Shooting Muffs on over them. Yes it is that loud!!!

This is something that you not only hear but feel. The first time I experienced it life and in person was at New England Dragway in New Hampshire years ago. It was a cool, damp night and it felt like someone was hitting you in the chest!

To comment on the potential ear damage mentioned, last year I went to the April NHRA Summit Race in Vegas with a friend of mine that tried to be cool and not wear hearing protection. Well Mr cool perforated his ear drum and to this day still has issues with that ear.

For a while there was a clip of a Plastic Bottle with a little water in it sitting on a toolbox near the starting line when a funny car hits the throttle and it shakes like you wouldn't believe. I found it on You Tube once but can't seem to find it now :-(